*Excluding mortgage and/or loan repayments

Our Services

Introduction Only Letting Service

Designed mainly for professional and institutional landlords, this light service allows you to benefit from our comprehensive marketing. Once you have received and accepted an offer on your property you are responsible for all aspects of confirming the tenancy, collecting funds and managing the property.

Introduction + Rent Collection Letting Service

This service is for landlords who have the time and expertise to manage tenants’ enquiries about maintenance, handle deposits, and deal with any dispute at the end of the tenancy.

Marketing the property

A comprehensive marketing strategy is essential in helping to make sure a property reaches a pool of suitable tenants and is let, as quickly as possible, at a rent that is acceptable to you. You will benefit from an extensive marketing package, which usually includes having your property featured on two major online sites, a list of potential tenants, top-quality photographs.

Preparing the property for marketing

Before the tenant moves in, you must meet the requirements outlined in ‘Your legal obligations’ on page 5. Once we have found a tenant for your property, we will negotiate the terms of the tenancy and, subject to the use of our tenancy documentation, confirm the terms of the tenancy in writing to the tenant/s.

Choosing the right tenant

Finding a tenant who will look after the property and pay rent on time are important requirements for most landlords. We, at your written request and expense, can arrange for the tenant/guarantor to be referenced using a referencing agency in order to help build a picture of their financial circumstances and ability to meet regular rental payments. Where so instructed you will usually receive a report on this before you sign the tenancy agreement. Tenants/guarantors satisfying the criteria deemed necessary to be acceptable by the referencing agency is not a guarantee that they will meet their obligations. The report is provided without liability on Our part or that of the referencing agency. Asset out in ‘Your legal obligations’, you must make sure your tenant has the legal right to rent in England and Wales. We can help you by getting copies of passports and visa documents and carrying out checks.

Negotiating the terms of the tenancy

The key to a successful tenancy is making sure that both you and your tenant are clear on what has been agreed and on what your responsibilities are. We are trained to negotiate the terms and conditions of a tenancy. They help make sure that negotiations are confirmed and understood by both parties prior to proceeding to sign the tenancy agreement. Our tenancy agreement is available as an additional service.

Confirming the tenancy

Once you and the tenant have agreed the terms of the tenancy, depending on your instructions we will draw up a tenancy agreement. See ‘Our fees’ section for additional fees which apply. If necessary, the tenancy agreement will include clauses relevant to a particular tenancy, for example, providing extra furniture as a condition of the tenancy. It is important that you are protected against anything the tenant does that breaks the terms of the tenancy. To help with this, we can hold and protect a cash deposit from the tenant under a depositprotection scheme or by providing a deposit- replacement product.

Negotiating the terms of the tenancy

The key to a successful tenancy is making sure that both you and your tenant are clear on what has been agreed and on what your responsibilities are. We are trained to negotiate the terms and conditions of a tenancy. They help make sure that negotiations are confirmed and understood by both parties prior to proceeding to sign the tenancy agreement. Our tenancy agreement is available as an additional service.

Confirming the tenancy

Once you and the tenant have agreed the terms of the tenancy, depending on your instructions we will draw up a tenancy agreement. See ‘Our fees’ section for additional fees which apply. If necessary, the tenancy agreement will include clauses relevant to a particular tenancy, for example, providing extra furniture as a condition of the tenancy. It is important that you are protected against anything the tenant does that breaks the terms of the tenancy. To help with this, we can hold and protect a cash deposit from the tenant under a depositprotection scheme or by providing a deposit- replacement product.

At the start of the tenancy

A tenancy which gets off to a good start is far more likely to run safely and smoothly. We will collect initial monies, which may include rent and a cash deposit, give the tenant a ‘How to Rent Guide’, test smoke detectors and carbon-monoxide alarms and, for an additional fee, check the inventory and complete the tenancy agreement. (A good-quality inventory, together with written records of the property’s condition at the start and end of the tenancy, is key to you being able to make a claim against the tenant for any damage caused during the tenancy. You must not rely on these checks to identify any structural faults, and they do not include lofts, cellars or locked rooms.) If you choose our standard letting service, we will collect the rent on your behalf, which means you are free from continually checking it has been paid in line with the terms of the tenancy agreement. When rent is late, we have a strict arrears procedure which makes sure we chase it up. You will need our records of this if you need to take the tenant to court.

Utility and services management

We work with suppliers to help both you and the tenant transfer council tax, water rates, gas and electricity accounts at the beginning and end of the tenancy.

Collecting rent and providing rent statements

We promptly transfer the rent we receive from the tenant to you. We will provide you with regular statements that clearly show what money we have received and what we have transferred to you. On the rare occasion that a tenant fails to pay their rent, we make sure that we chase arrears promptly. We keep records to help with any possession or arrears proceedings. If you have been paid too much rent, we can refund any overpayment from money we hold on your behalf.

Renewing and ending the tenancy

We understand the importance of your rental investment and in particular the need to make plans around regular rental income and having vacant possession at the end of the tenancy. Towards the end of the initial fixed term, we will contact you to ask your plans. If you are happy for the tenancy to continue and the tenant agrees, we will negotiate the terms of the renewal and make sure that everything is confirmed in writing.

Remarketing

When the property returns to the market at the end of the tenancy, we can advise on rental value and any improvements that are needed to get the best possible rent and to keep empty periods to a minimum.

Full management service

(Please note, all the above services are included in our full management service.) Our full management service is a comprehensive letting and management service for landlords requiring help with administration, and guidance on meeting the day-to-day legal, safety and maintenance requirements associated with letting a property. You will enjoy peace of mind, knowing that your property has been safely let and managed from the moment it reaches the market until any claim against the tenant for damage at the end of the tenancy is dealt with.

Managing the property

Our full management service can help if you haven’t got the time and resources to deal with routine requests from your tenant. This service also gives you considerable peace of mind, as you know someone is on hand to help make sure the tenancy runs safely and smoothly and the tenancy agreement is kept to. Tenants are increasingly asking for their homes to be professionally managed, as they want assurance that repairs and maintenance will be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Tenants can report maintenance issues around the clock, all year round. Repairs are undertaken on your behalf, using qualified, checked and insured contractors. Our full management service also includes negotiations at the end of the tenancy to do with any claim you have against the tenant for damages caused whilst living at the property. For added peace of mind, our full management service includes two visits to the property each year and at the Landlords request we are able to undertake additional property visits.

Additional services

A number of additional services are available which include: Referencing - includes engaging a referencing agency on your behalf, who will check income, employment, previous landlords (if applicable) and search for bankruptcy, insolvency, CCJ’s, Orders and Arrangements.

Property preparation service − includes organising quotes and arranging on your behalf, work which may be needed before the tenancy begins. This service also includes removing furniture, disposing of rubbish, cleaning and so on.

Non-routine maintenance − includes work that costs more than £350, such as roofing, replacing boilers, decorating and so on.

Mid-term deposit transfer

Transferring the deposit to an alternative scheme, if the tenant has given their permission.

Your Legal Obligations

This section sets out some of the legal obligations you have as a landlord. These are only some of the key legal obligations that you must comply with, and they will change from time to time as the law changes. This list is not intended to be a full list. If you have any questions or concerns, you should get independent advice or visit www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property.

Energy Performance Certificate

Asfrom1 April 2018, any rented property is normally required to have a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E. There is a PRS Exemptions Register for properties which cannot be improved to meet this minimum standard.
You must make sure your tenant has a copy of the EPC before the start of their tenancy.
The EPC rating must also be included in advertising and marketing material.

Right to rent

Before a tenancy begins, landlords in England have a legal obligation to make sure that their tenant and any permitted occupants living at the property have the right to remain in the UK prior to the commencement.
If they have this right but for a limited time, follow-up checks are required.
It is unlawful discrimination to restrict the length of a tenancy or refuse to grant a tenancy based on the right-to-rent checks, except where some or all of the tenants or Occupants have failed the checks.
For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/collections/landlords-immigration-right-to-rent-checks.
The rules do not currently apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Protecting deposits

If a tenant pays a cash deposit it must be protected using one of three government-approved schemes, within 30 days of receiving it. The deposit can be protected through either passing it to one of these schemes for safe keeping, or by an insurance policy, where an approved agent keeps the deposit in their client bank account.

Local-authority licensing (Houses in Multiple Occupation)

Based on the type of property, its location and occupancy and the policy applied by the Local Authority in which the property is located a licence may be required. It is important that you are familiar with the requirements in your area and how these might apply to a proposed tenancy.
Landlords in Wales have to register with Rent Smart Wales. Those who manage the property themselves must also get a licence in order to let the property legally.

Gas safety regulations

You must make sure a yearly gas safety check is carried outon all gas appliances (including flues) that you provide. Checks must be performed by a Gas Safe Registered engineer, and a copy of the certificate must be given to the tenant, prior to the start of the tenancy.

Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms

You must install at least one smoke detector on each floor of the property that is classed as living accommodation (including bathrooms). You must fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room which is used as living accommodation and which contains a solid-fuel burning appliance. The alarms must be installed and working at the start of the tenancy agreement. You must test the ‘test button’ on each alarm on the day the tenancy starts to check that they have power. All alarms, including those wired into the mains supply, have a limited lifespan of between five and ten years. A replacement date is usually printed on the Alarm, but you can’t always see it unless you remove the alarm. If you are not sure how old an alarm is, ask an electrician to tell you when it will need replacing, or ask them to replace it.

Electrical safety

You must make sure that all electrical installations, systems and appliances are safe to use. While there is currently no requirement to confirm safety through testing and issuing certificates, we recommend that you arrange a portable appliance test (PAT) every year and an electrical installation condition report every five years.

Furnishing

You must make sure that all upholstered furniture you provide meets fire-resistance standards. Labels attached to all new upholstered furniture show these levels. Separate European Standards for Safety deal with internal window blinds and shutters, and the danger posed by cords and chains to babies and young children.

Water and bacterial control

You must make sure that risk from exposure to legionella in water systems is properly controlled. Properties that remain empty, particularly during the warmer months, and those with open coldwater tanks and swimming pools or hot tubs, are particularly at risk. We recommend that you carry out a risk assessment before the start of the tenancy.

Heating and hot water

The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 apply to landlords of shared accommodation who charge for the supply of heating, air conditioning or hot water. The regulations apply to:

a) District heat networks involving the distribution of heat, hot water or chilled liquids from a central source to multiple buildings or sites; and

b) Communal heating systems, involving the supply of heat, hot water or chilled liquids from a central source in a single building to more than one ‘final customer’. A user is considered a final customer where they occupy a partitioned private space intended to be used as a domestic dwelling.

If your property meets these criteria you must provide information to the National Measurement Office including the number and type of buildings supplied by the heating system, and the number of final customers. You must also make sure that meters are installed in the property to measure the consumption of heat, cooling or hot water by each final customer. The regulations do not apply to houses in multiple occupation (“HMO”).

General

Before you enter into a tenancy agreement, you must get any necessary permission, including from joint owners or mortgage lenders.

If a property is leasehold, this includes any permission required from the immediate landlord and, if necessary, any superior landlord or freehold owner.

You should also make sure you have appropriate buildings and contents insurance. A normal residential buildings insurance policy does not generally cover rental properties, so you will need cover that is specifically designed for landlords. If you do not have appropriate cover, you may be responsible for repair or rebuilding costs if your property is damaged or destroyed.